so hard (easy) to lie
by Aquarius Galuxy
Summary: In a world where marriage is necessary for people with kids, Kurogane and Fai (attempt to) reach an understanding. [KuroFai]
1. so hard (easy) to lie

_First long-ish TRC fic... Forgive the awkwardness.. Still trying to get into the characters' skins. Written based on the quick sketch that_ pokethetriforce _did on Tumblr. No real warnings - just swearing and some drama._

 _Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

 **so hard (easy) to lie**

"Hyuu, the people of this world really love kids, don't they?" Fai fell into step next to Sakura, linking his fingers behind his head. "I've never seen so many posters of children and families before!"

On the other side of the princess, Syaoran had his head bowed, fully immersed in a thick pamphlet they'd picked up at an information center.

This world, Xingpu, was one of towering glass-and-metal skyscrapers. Although cars flowed along glittering asphalt heated by the high summer sun, there was also a multitude of glinting metallic devices floating in the air between buildings, many of which bore glass lenses that gave Fai the distinct feeling of being watched.

All about them, on street-level and down the sides of buildings, bright, cheerful banners of children and smiling parents beamed down at them, proclaiming things like _More children, More happiness!_ and _It's never too late to create new life!_

"It's not like there're that many kids around," Kurogane muttered behind them, "I see more old people than children."

"Actually, that is precisely why," Syaoran announced suddenly, looking up at the rest of their travelling group. "Xingpu has an ageing population, you see, and children are precious to them. Without children, there wouldn't be new generations to support the old."

"Ah, that's nice." Fai smiled, scanning the busy streets before them. Sleek cars purred through the crowded intersection ahead; traffic lights flashed blues and purples in a confusing sequence of colors. "Kuro-pon's right, though. I don't see many children at all around here."

The people who were on the streets looked, like the ninja observed, to be mostly past their child-bearing years. More often than not, grey streaked the hair of the businessmen who passed them, and the couples they sighted had few children, if any.

"I think we might be in the business district of the city," Syaoran mused. He ducked his head to continue reading. "Perhaps if we head further out of this place, we might see more families..."

"The families must be really happy," Sakura exclaimed quietly, emerald eyes lighting up. "It looks like they're really welcome here."

"Mokona wants to see them too!" came the muffled cry from beneath Kurogane's cloak.

"Shut up, meat bun," the ninja muttered. To his annoyance, the white ball of fluff giggled and squirmed against his side. "Oi!"

"There's a law in Xingpu, though..." Syaoran trailed off uncertainly, drawing their attention. "It's illegal to have children unless you're a married couple."

They were silent for a while.

"Is it only for citizens, though?" Sakura asked, a little frown crinkling her forehead. "I mean, we're just visiting this world... And Syaoran-kun and I are already old enough to work."

Syaoran returned his attention to the booklet. "The... The law says that people are considered children until they're eighteen. And so..." He hesitated, before continuing, "You and I aren't allowed to look for jobs, princess."

"But," Fai began with a smile, "We're already a family, aren't we?"

He ignored Kurogane's mutter of dissent, and fell back, so he was walking next to the grumpiest of their group. "Isn't that right, Kuro-daddy?" (His grin grew wider at Mokona's stifled echo of "Kuro-daddy!") "It doesn't seem logical to set ourselves apart from the people here."

Sakura and Syaoran turned back to look at them, and Fai chuckled to himself when Kuro-tan was forced to concede.

"Whatever," Kurogane growled. "But I'm not gonna play along with your idiocy, mage."

"Surely you're fond of me, Kuro-dear," Fai teased. "We'd have to be all lovey-dovey until we find the feather, don't we?"

The ninja tensed when Fai linked their arms together. "Mage—"

"You can call me 'Dear', or 'Husband', or 'Beloved', you know," Fai chided, and was quietly amused to see the canyon-like furrow that stretched across Kurogane's forehead. This was a lot more fun than he'd foreseen. "Sakura-chan, Syaoran-kun, you know how to address us."

Their expressions, although warm when they looked at him, turned hesitant the moment they focused on Kurogane.

"D-Dad," Syaoran stuttered, a blush rising to his cheeks, at the same time Mokona cried, "Daddy!"

"Dad," Sakura began, though she gained confidence more quickly than Syaoran did. "We should get you some clothes soon—we should dress like a family, don't you think?"

"That's an excellent idea, Sakura-chan!" Fai grinned, and pressed close to the ninja. "Kuro-beloved needs smarter clothes than his angry black cloak! Let's look for a pawn shop somewhere."

Waves of anger were already emanating from Kurogane, like a slow blaze that would explode at some point. The kids could probably sense it as well. Fai was not daunted.

"Come on, Kuro-kiss, don't look so angry." He reached forward and patted Kurogane's chest lightly. "It's bad for your heart, you know. We need you to be all healthy. _I_ need you to be healthy."

He tipped his face up and batted his eyelashes at the ninja; Kurogane clicked his tongue, looked away in disgust.

The kids had faced forward to look for a pawn shop by this point, so Fai took it upon himself to brush the act up a little as they passed a convenience store full of bright colors and fully-stocked products. He smiled and touched his fingers to Kuro-tan's jawline; Kurogane jerked his chin away.

"The hell do you think you're doing?" he bristled, crimson eyes burning holes into Fai.

"Hyuu, hyuu, Daddy is mad at me," Fai lilted, laying his head against the edge of Kurogane's shoulder. "Don't be angry, Kuro-sweetheart, I'll give you a kiss to make it better!"

The tips of Syaoran's ears were turning red. Kurogane gritted his teeth and merely glowered when Fai tiptoed, dropped an almost-kiss a hair's breadth from his cheek.

"Are you done yet?" he muttered.

"Not by a long shot," Fai whispered, with a predatory edge to his smile. He was really starting to like this world. 

* * *

By nightfall, they'd gained the keys to a little two-bedroom apartment in the residential area, along with some clothes and food that would be useful for the duration of their stay.

He should have known. He really should have fucking known that the idiot mage was going to pull this on him. Kurogane inched closer to the edge of the double bed. It wasn't as if he was uncomfortable sleeping so close to Fai—they'd been cramped in a tent far smaller than this in Yama, and— No, he wasn't going to think about Yama. Yama was eons and worlds behind them.

All he wanted tonight was a peaceful few hours of rest, that was not going to happen if the idiot got any ideas about sleeping together—

"Kuro-sexy," Fai breathed from somewhere behind, touching fingers to his waist. "We should be more loving than this..."

He ended up sleeping on the floor. With his back against the bed and his sword in front of him.

Dawn came too soon. Kurogane was the first one awake, though not the only one alert by the time someone knocked on their door. The five of them glanced around at each other, crowded around the little dining table piled with breakfast.

"I'll get the door," Fai sang, rising from his seat.

Kurogane dropped his hand to Sohi's hilt and watched as the mage peered inquisitively through the peephole, before pulling the door open cautiously. "Good morning!"

(Did everyone really not question that ridiculously fake smile?)

"Morning," a tall man in dull green uniform stepped in, flashing a badge. "Sorry to interrupt you this early. My name's Fuuma—I'm from the Department of Internal Affairs."

Fai's smile did not waver. "How can we help you, Officer?"

Fuuma's glasses glinted when he scanned the little apartment, gaze landing at the breakfast table, on Kurogane. "I've received a tip-off from a concerned resident that your... marriage isn't doing so well."

Everyone at the breakfast table stiffened; spoons clinked into bowls.

"What do you mean, Officer Fuuma?" Fai asked, concern plastered all across his face. "Kuro-darling and I have been—"

"As you know, the DIA keeps track of all families to ensure the well being of the children," Fuuma explained, stepping into the apartment. He slipped his shoes off, and waved towards the couch. "If I may conduct a short interview...?"

In all honesty, it took Kurogane a few seconds to realize that he was the cause of this prying visit. The feeling of being watched all night had not dissipated—he realized too late that the devices hovering outside their windows were the ones to record and report their behavior—

He should have put more effort into that acting, damn it. Even within their rented apartment.

The irony of the situation did not escape him—here they were, getting into trouble because, for once, Kurogane refused to lie like the idiot mage always did.

If he and Fai were detained for questioning, the kid and the princess could possibly be taken away, and thrown into some sort of foster home. With possibly no means of contact. And he wanted to return to Nihon at some point, for crying out loud. That wasn't going to happen if they reached a stalemate in this world.

Smoothly, Kurogane stood from his chair, rearranging his features to something resembling worry. "What's the matter, dear?"

It felt as if he was going to be condemned to all hell. He, Kurogane of Suwa, was fucking _lying_.

The false grin on Fai's mouth slipped; he gaped at Kurogane, and Kurogane felt a stab of gratifying smugness spear through his gut. But the mage was one to recover quickly, much to his annoyance. "I'm not so sure, Kuro-daddy," he pouted, "This officer is questioning our relationship."

In any other circumstance, Kurogane would have yelled at the twit for addressing him as "Kuro-daddy" in front of an utter stranger. Right now, however, was not the time. He left his seat, rounding the table to ruffle Syaoran's hair. "Eat up, son. We're going out to the park later, remember?"

The shocked awe on Syaoran's face served only to boost his confidence. With the kids, he didn't mind treating them as his own.

With Fai, however...

It would be like Yama all over again, but different this time. 

* * *

Fai stared. The look in Kuro-sama's eyes was different—familiar—but his entire bearing had changed. Gone was the perpetual scowl, and the tense shoulders. Gone was the suspicion and coolness.

When Kurogane came to stand beside him in front of Fuuma, he slipped an arm around Fai's waist as if it was the most natural thing to do (for a few months there, it had been). If Fai hadn't been so intimately familiar with masks and lies, he would have tripped over his shock, that Kuro-puppy, of all people, could look at him with such heat that his insides grew soft.

That Kuro-rin could gaze at him warmly, the corners of his lips twitched up in the tiniest of smiles.

Kurogane's large hand slipped to his hip, fingertips pressing lightly into his skin through his pants, and Fai's breathing stuttered.

"Let's get this over with, beloved," Kurogane said quietly in his ear.

Fai couldn't help the blush that fanned across his cheeks.

Fuuma raised an eyebrow. "Newly married, huh?"

"Not quite. Kuro-husband loves to tease me," Fai chirped, recovering. He stepped towards the door, shutting and locking it in case any more of Fuuma's colleagues decided to barge in. "Do have a seat, Officer."

"Let's make this quick, shall we?" Fuuma pulled a tablet device from his sling bag, powering it on. "All I have are a few questions about your marriage."

Fai didn't quite dare to look at Kurogane, but a warm hand slipped up his back when he took his seat next to the man, almost comfortingly, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to lean in.

"First, how did you two meet?"

"At a shop," they answered at the same time. Fai drew away from Kurogane, pasting a shy smile on his lips. "Ah, Kuro-daddy, you read my mind."

"You know we did," the ninja said quietly. For a few heartbeats, Fai stared into those crimson eyes, wondering if he'd ever noticed the flecks of burgundy around Kuro-puu's pupils. He swallowed, looked back at Fuuma.

The bespectacled officer tapped the point of his stylus to his tablet screen. "What kind of shop was it?"

"A shop that fulfills wishes," Fai answered, while Kurogane replied, "It's a shop run by a damn witch."

Fuuma raised an eyebrow at their responses, though he continued without missing a beat, "How long have you been married?"

"Oh, years." Fai sighed dreamily. He allowed his eyes to lose their focus. "We've been through so much since then, you know? It's almost hard to remember."

"How many years?" Fuuma pressed, glancing down at his computer to enter more data. "Surely you have a rough idea."

"Ten years," Kurogane said. When Fai turned to appraise him, he smiled, a tiny, fond smile that he hadn't known Kurogane was at all capable of. His own grin wavered. What would it be like if— "Husband."

He was vaguely aware that Syaoran and Sakura had turned in their seats to watch the interview, though to be perfectly truthful, the majority of his attention was latched onto the way Kurogane had enveloped him with his warmth. Fai had not realized how much he'd missed Kuro-sama's touch.

"According to ministry info, it was reported that the two of you weren't on good terms recently," Fuuma pointed out, glancing at his tablet again. "For the sake of your children-" At this point, he glanced towards the pair at the breakfast table- "May I know why?"

Fai parted his lips to speak, but Kurogane beat him to it. "I haven't been feeling well recently," he volunteered, his tone so apologetic that Fai turned back towards him. "And as a result, I haven't been appreciative of your concern," he explained, with a touch of embarrassment in his features. "Much as I haven't heeded the words of our son and daughter."

Was that a hint of pride in his tone? Fai stared at Kurogane, who had turned to look at Syaoran and Sakura with something akin to fatherly love. (They grinned back.) His throat had gone dry, and he wavered in his seat. Had Kuro-daddy been capable of this all along?

There were many emotions he'd locked away ever since Yama, that were now pressing against his ribs, clamoring for escape. Fai swallowed and dropped his forehead to the expanse of Kurogane's shoulder. His fingers curled into the soft fabric of the ninja's shirt. This was all an act, right?

"Kuro-sama," he whispered.

Warm lips pressed briefly against his temple.

His pulse stumbled. Fai gulped, closed his eyes, and wondered if any of this was real. (Because he sure as hell wished it was.)

Yama had been a dream. Was Xingpu a dream as well, then?

The door clicked quietly shut. For long time, Fai sat still, breathing the scent of Kurogane's clothes.

"Oi, he's gone," Kurogane said quietly in his ear, his breath rustling through Fai's hair. "Get up, idiot."

He'd thrown the inane grin back on his face in the next second, like a slap, and sprung away from Kurogane. "Sure, sure, Kuro-daddy, but we're sleeping together tonight!"

The large man had not lost his soft countenance by the time Fai distanced himself enough to really look at him. This was not what he'd expected.

Fai licked his lips uncertainly, then flitted back to the breakfast table, grinning again. "So, Syaoran-kun, Sakura-chan—how about we take Daddy up on the park visit?"

Sakura brightened immediately. "Yes please!"

Mokona waved and grinned, popping a chunk of fried egg into her mouth. "Fai, you and Kuro-daddy were wonderful back there!"

"Oh, we were?" Fai mustered a wan smile, seating himself back at the table. Now that he was far away from Kuro-tan and able to think again... What the _hell_ had Kurogane been doing?

The ninja joined them at the table soon after. Fai beamed and patted him on the head. "You did great back there, Kuro-daddy! Mokona and the kids think so, don't you?"

Syaoran and Sakura bobbed their heads; their eyes were shining. Fai chose not to think too much about that. As long as they were happy, hey?

He did chance another look back at Kurogane, however. The scowl was back on the warrior's face, comforting in its presence. "Quit treating me like a dog, mage."

Things were back to normal; Fai sought comfort in that. 

* * *

He probably shouldn't have been surprised when Kurogane rounded on him in their room that night.

"Listen, mage," he muttered. "This is nothing like..."

"Like Yama?" Fai finished in a tone barely above a whisper. Kuro-tan hissed. The sky was red-purple with light pollution, dotted with hovering cameras; he turned away to draw the curtains on them.

"We aren't talking about that again," Kurogane breathed, ruby eyes flashing in the fluorescent lamplight. "You promised."

It felt like Kuro-sama could see right through him in that one glance.

He broke the eye contact. "I know."

Memories of Yama were like the tide—they ebbed and waned, stronger on some nights than others. Even with the pact of silence, even without either of them bringing it up, Fai remembered those ink-black nights spent in the closed-off privacy of their tent. Did Kuro-rin think he'd forget the moments of stolen, stifled gasps and heat?

Leaving something like that behind... Did either of them think it would never surface again?

He changed the subject. "I didn't think Kuro-rin could be so sentimental. All those soft kisses and hugs."

It was enough to trigger a reaction. "I don't need that brought up again," Kurogane grit. "That was just an act."

"An act?" Fai arched a brow, folded his arms across his chest. "I thought Kuro-daddy abhorred dishonesty."

The ninja looked away. "It was necessary in this situation."

Fai pursed his lips, studying the man in front of him. Kurogane had settled into the father-husband role without any protest. Not only that, but he had been _so damn good_ at it. "Necessity is one thing," Fai pointed out. "Pulling it off well enough to fool an officer? That's something else entirely, Kuro-rin."

"Stop it with the nicknames," Kurogane snapped, though without much fury to his words.

"Did you perhaps..." Fai drew a breath, wondering if he was insane to be doing this. "Mean any of it?"

At that, the other man glowered at him, the red of his eyes lending heat to his stare. "That's of no consequence, mage."

"You are fond of Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun," Fai observed. "That was expected. But with me..."

"Weren't you running away?" Kurogane retorted, taking a step closer. "It shouldn't bother you whether it's all a lie, or not."

He swallowed. It shouldn't—Kuro-tan was right. But he remembered that kiss, and... "You're right, it shouldn't."

Just like in Yama.

But what if they fooled themselves a little bit more? Just like in Yama?

Fai pulled the light grin back onto his face, like a shutter. He took a step closer to Kurogane, allowed his eyes to flutter shut at the heat of his body. "What if..." he started, and drew a finger down the line of his ex-lover's arm. "What if we speak nothing of Xingpu from the next world onward?"

Kurogane swallowed audibly before him, swayed. (Because for how much Fai hated that Kuro-pon could see through him, he could read the other man just as easily.)

For now, he was going to ignore the way his heart fluttered when Kuro-sama looked at him just so. Love or no, he wasn't naive enough to believe in something like that for himself.

"We won't speak of this," Kurogane murmured hoarsely in his ear, slipping a large hand around his waist.

"We won't," Fai agreed.

 _Thank you, Kuro-sama._

* * *

 _A/N: Xingpu is loosely based off Singapore for the ageing population, propaganda, city sights and the Big Brother effect. Yay, I'm finally writing something useful with my birth country!_

 _(To all NejiTen fans who have followed me here, drop a line, I'd love to hear from you!)_

 _Comments/crits appreciated.. I was totally not expecting to write KuroFai, and had a bit of trouble settling in. ;)_


	2. gotta love these lies

_Written some time ago as a continuation to "so hard (easy) to lie". :) You might have seen it before on Tumblr or AO3._

 _Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

 **gotta love these lies**

"Now, Kuro-tan, lift that couch up, and do as I say."

"The hell?" Kurogane snapped, a frown creasing his forehead. "Why do I have to obey you like a dog?"

They were in-between worlds with strife at the moment, in a country called Xingpu, and through a stroke of luck, had got their hands on a beautiful, if cramped, apartment. Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona were out on a grocery errand at the moment–a good time to rearrange the furniture, if there ever was.

"Because you _are_ a dog." Fai informed Kurogane smugly. His lips curved in a sharp smile; Kuro-rin did love to make things so much more amusing for both of them. "You're all bark and no bite. Woof woof woof!"

"Why you—" The ninja had abandoned all attempt to reason with him, it seemed _(how like an animal)_ , and was instead striding towards the living room to execute some sort of punishment.

Well, two could play at that game. Fai set his oven mittens aside. He waited until Kurogane had chosen one of two paths across the room, and leaped nimbly over a side table. "I should learn to whistle, don't you think? So you can fetch me things when I go, _phweet_!"

"Stop talking as if I'm a bloody dog!" Kurogane crashed through the furniture; Fai let his arms trail behind him, always staying two steps in front of the large man.

This was fun, this was absolutely not intimate, and this allowed him to forget a lot of other things he would otherwise be thinking about.

Fai liked it this way.

* * *

Kurogane thundered through the apartment after Fai. The damn mage was leading him on a wild goose chase–logically speaking, he shouldn't even _be_ falling for this idiocy, but Fai made his blood boil like no one else, and he deserved a punch in his stupid head for the never-ending dog names.

"I'm not a damn dog!" Kurogane snarled. His fingers itched to sink into wispy blond hair.

Outo had been the worst, with everyone—literally _everyone—_ addressing him as "Big Puppy" and snickering at the same time. He was supposed to have been above that (really, which shinobi bothered with minor things like name-calling) but he was Kurogane, he was one of Tomoyo's elite guard, the very strongest in Nihon, and he wasn't going to stand for being addressed like a damn fucking _dog_.

Unfortunately, the twit was always two steps ahead of him, willowy and flailing like he were a bumbling idiot trying to escape.

Except he knew full well what he was doing, and this two-meter distance was only a front to keep Kurogane incensed.

Part of the aggravation, the ninja vaguely acknowledged, was that he wouldn't be half as annoyed if the mage weren't so goddamn attractive.

 _God-fucking-damnit._

* * *

Perhaps it was subconscious desire, or perhaps it was a fatalistic whim. Either way, Fai found himself prancing into the bedroom that he and Kurogane were sharing at night.

Kuro-pipi followed him right in.

"Don't forget, there are people watching us here," Fai reminded him lightly, waving towards the open windows. Several metallic drones whizzed in the space beyond, glinting in the bright afternoon sunlight.

It seemed as if Kurogane had not heard his words, because he was bearing down on Fai, face grim, and Fai backed away until he was pressed against the window sill.

A look past his shoulder revealed cars like tiny ants marching down the street. They were in a tall building, after all, and he couldn't very well just leap out of the window to escape.

Kuro-pon was unrelenting in his chase. Brilliant red eyes flashed at him. "I'm not a damn dog, mage. Stop addressing me like one."

Attempting to run out now would be akin to flying straight into Kurogane's arms, if he were to stretch them out. And it would bring another officer visit to their apartment, which they really did not need.

"Remember how much you said you love me, Kuro-daddy," Fai purred, fluttering his eyelashes. "We're the perfect Xingpu family, aren't we?"

The ninja flicked a short-tempered glance out of the window. Returned his stare to Fai. "We'll deal with that later. Can't you quit treating me like a dog?"

"But Kuro-honey loves it, don't you?" he breathed, when Kuro-rin stepped up close, and planted his hands on either sides of Fai's head. They were this close in broad daylight, in full view of all the cameras that required them to be a loving couple.

And he remembered very well what Kuro-sama's skin tasted like.

"Mage," Kurogane growled through his teeth, crimson eyes snapping.

Fai reached up and wound his arms around the ninja's neck, leaning in close so they were sharing heat, so they were sharing the same breath, and then closer yet, tiptoeing so his mouth was past Kurogane's cheek.

Kurogane tensed when Fai drew his tongue up the shell of his ear.

"Mage—"

"My name is Fai," he whispered.

A large hand dropped to his waist, fingers curling into his clothes.

"We should give them a show, shouldn't we?" Fai suggested, his pulse thrumming in his veins. "Just… to prove that we're a family."

Where this was concerned, they could act exceedingly well.

"You know what you're asking for," Kurogane muttered, his exhalations soughing over Fai's neck. "It's broad daylight."

"No strings attached," he answered, eyelids fluttering shut when Kuro-sama pressed his lips to his shoulder. "You know how this world is."

That didn't prevent him from groaning later on, when they were stripped and absolutely not facing each other, Kurogane around him and inside him and all Fai knew was the heat they shared.

Xingpu was a good world to stop in.


End file.
